Surah Al-Kahf 18:89
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ · Meccan · Verse 89 of 110
ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
Translation
He travelled on;
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'Then he followed a way.' Ibn Ashur and al-Saadi note the repeated phrase marking his restless service, having done justice in one place, he does not settle into his power but moves on to the next work, the next people, the next need. Ask yourself: notice that his power did not make him sedentary. The garden-owner sat in his estate and rotted in pride; Dhul-Qarnayn kept moving, kept serving, kept 'following a way'. Power tempts me to arrive, to plateau, to enjoy, but the righteous use of it is ongoing, never finished. Having done some good with what I've been given, do I settle back satisfied, or keep 'following a way' toward the next thing that needs doing? The difference between the two rulers of this Surah is, in part, the difference between one who sat and one who kept going.
Grounded in classical tafsir: Ibn Ashur, al-Saadi, al-Biqa'i.
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Kahf 18:89 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Kahf 18:89 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.